More Than A Secret (More Than Best Friends Book 3) Read online

  More Than A Secret

  Sally Henson

  Copyright © 2019 by Sally Henson

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  For permission requests, contact the author and publisher at https://sallyhensonwriter.com/contact-me/

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination. Locales and public names are sometimes used for atmospheric purposes.

  Editing by Walk the Line Editing & Proofreading

  Cover design & Interior formatting by Sally at Dirt Road Press

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Chapter 46

  Chapter 47

  Chapter 48

  Chapter 49

  Chapter 50

  Leave A Review

  Also by Sally Henson

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  The Talk

  Prologue

  LANE

  Her laughter fills the car, taking me on a ride I love so much. My stomach dips and turns and tightens until her giggles trail off.

  I give her the look and wait until she closes her eyes to light the candles. The smell of sugar and burning wax fill the air as I lift the box filled with seventeen cupcakes over the seat.

  “Happy Birthday to you,” I begin to sing.

  Regan’s eyes pop open the same time her mouth does. She gasps, “Lane. You didn’t have to do this.”

  “I know you already had a party and stuff last night, but I wanted to do something for just the two of us. Something special.”

  She is something special. And I can’t believe I almost screwed that up.

  The golden flecks in Regan’s eyes sparkle like tiny suns from the flames as I finish the song.

  I set the box on the console between us and tell her, “Make a wish.”

  Her lips rub together as she stares at her cupcakes. “Lane.” Her glistening eyes meet mine again. “You already made my wish come true.”

  I reach over and push her hair away from her face. She has me ready to tackle the world, and I dare to say, “Maybe I can do it again.”

  Dang. That look, like I’m her everything, sucks the breath out of me, stops my heart, has me willing to do anything to keep it there.

  Her eyes dance a few seconds as a new wish forms. “I might be able to think of another one.” She drops her gaze down to the candles, closes her eyes for a couple of beats, and then blows them out.

  I present a cupcake to her. “For you, birthday girl.”

  She licks her lips, peels the wrapper, and bites into the mint-chocolate goodness. “It's kind of gross blowing out candles on the cake. You know spit sprays all over the frosting. And then everyone eats it.”

  I scrunch my nose and peel off my paper. “I’m never eating another piece of birthday cake again.” But then I take a bite.

  She laughs. “You're eating it now.”

  I take another bite. “Mmm. This is different. I don't mind swapping spit with you.”

  She curls her lip in disgust. “It doesn't sound very appealing when you put it that way.”

  “Yeah? What if I put it this way?” I lean in and kiss her.

  She shrugs, looking all kinds of bored.

  “What?”

  “It is my birthday, I expected something, oh,”—she tilts her head as if she’s weighing her options— “I don't know, a little better than that.” She dabs my nose with the icing from her cupcake.

  My jaw drops as I stare at my girl flirting. I love it. “You did not just do that.” The beat of my heart ticks up a notch.

  “Um, I think I just did.” She tries to hide her grin by biting her lip.

  I put my cupcake back in the box and set it behind our seats. “How many swats do you get this year?”

  “Hm-mm.” She shakes her head, moving as close to the door as possible. “No, way. I'm too old for that.”

  “We'll see about that.” I sweep the back of my hand down my nose, removing the icing and wiping it on a spare paper towel.

  She giggles. If we were outside, I’d sling her over my shoulder and twirl her around until she’s dizzy. This confined box keeps her from going anywhere, though. I wiggle my fingers in warning before I attack her most ticklish spot.

  “Stop! Stop!” she cries, laughing between gasps of air.

  I pause, hovering over her. “On two conditions.”

  Her head falls back on the headrest. “Not the conditions again.”

  I threaten to tickle her again.

  “Okay, okay. What conditions?”

  “One.” I lean as close as I can. This stupid console is keeping us apart. I scoop one arm around her waist and heft her closer. “Don’t doubt what we have. It’s only you. I think it’s always only been you.”

  She looks away, brushing a finger under her lashes.

  “Two.” I cup her face with my other hand, meeting her lips once with my own. “Promise to call or text me anytime you're happy, or sad, or whatever the reason. Just do it.” I quickly reach under my seat for her gift and lift it between us. “Happy Birthday.”

  Regan’s mouth drops open for the zillionth time tonight. “Lane! Oh, my gosh, dinner was enough. It was sweet and romantic and…” She crashes into me, wrangling her arms around my neck, and then whispers against my lips, “Amazing.”

  “Behave,” I tease, though I’m actually talking to myself. My body screams to stay connected to her, to get even closer, but I manage to put some space between us. “Open it.”

  Chewing on her bottom lip, she fumbles with the bow. Did she get the hint I dropped? Maybe. She seems to slow down and it’s causing my muscles to shake.

  One side of her mouth has the slightest curve. She’s playing with me.

  “Come on, come on, open it,” I beg.

  “I think you're more excited than I am.” She lifts the box open and gasps. “Lane! This is too much.”

  My chest swells until it feels like it’s going to explode. “Too late. Can’t take it back.” I lean over, showing her how it works. “Turn it on. I already have my number programed in, and the gang's.” She knows how to use mine, but I’m just as excited as she is. “Go here, contacts. See, I made sure I was firs
t.”

  “Alpha-Flames-Cary?” She cracks up. “That is so dumb.”

  “What? I wanted to be number one in your little black book.”

  She shakes her head, still laughing. “Where did you get this picture?”

  My face on top of a roid-jacked bodybuilder’s. It’s classic. I cough, doing my best to hide my laughter and be serious. “What do you mean? I took a selfie after a workout.”

  She laughs a giant, deep-from-your-gut laugh at the cut and paste job I did on the photo. “You look ridiculous. I like your body so much better than this.”

  “You like my body?” I tease.

  She shrugs, acting like she didn’t really say it, but the quiet and her refusal to look at me proves she does. “Yeah,” she admits, jetting her eyes everywhere but at me.

  If she keeps this up, I’m pretty sure I’ll turn into Captain America before the night is over.

  “You can change it, if you want.” I reach for my phone and tap on the contacts. “You’re number one on my list too.”

  I flip the phone so she can see it.

  “Amore?” She giggles, but then her voice drops. “Serious?” Her smile falls.

  That tiny action nearly knocks the wind out of me. “What? You don’t like it? It means affection. Love.” She doesn’t want me to call her love?

  She drops her phone in her lap, wrapping her arms around my neck so fast I almost don’t know what hits me.

  That is, until something warm grazes my mouth.

  She tastes like chocolate mint—like her birthday cupcakes—delicious.

  I.

  Love.

  Kissing.

  This.

  Girl.

  Marvin Gaye's tune, “Let's Get It On” blares from her phone. She pulls away, wide-eyed, looking around for the culprit. My chest heaves from the effect her kiss has on me. I must’ve accidentally called her while we were busy locking lips. Instead of explaining, I let her figure out what’s going on.

  She picks up her phone, eyebrows fused, and looks at the screen. My face with the fake body is splattered across it.

  “You’ve got to be kidding.” The laughter rolls out of her, bringing on a magic laughter coaster with her. “Oh, my gosh, Lane.” More laughter. “Can you imagine the look on my parents’ faces when that goes off? Dad would be like,”—she drops her voice to mimic her dad’s— “Where is that music coming from?”

  She has me clenching my gut. This girl.

  She keeps it up, “And I'd say, ‘Oh, that's my lover calling me.’” Giggles spill out of her like Champaign over the bottle after the top pops off. “It would almost be worth it.”

  Regan’s laughter is the best music to my heart, my soul. It makes me taller, stronger, more than determined to do whatever it takes for us to be together. She has the capability of doing that and more. Captain America? Ha! I’m the whole freaking Marvel team.

  “So, that's a no to the ringtone?” I ask, barely able to keep it together.

  “It makes me laugh. I might keep it.”

  “I’d love it if you kept it, but there are two others you might like. How about Etta James, ‘At Last?’” I sing the first two words of the song.

  Her eyes light up. “Ooh, I love Etta James. You might have to keep singing.”

  I know she loves Etta James. I love that she loves Etta James. “Or, Chris Lane, ‘Fix.’”

  “Mmm, Chris Lane. For now.” She pokes a finger at my gut. “It's more you.”

  Her reason cranks my insides. I give her a one-armed hug and kiss her on the cheek before changing the ring tone for her. “Now we can reach each other any time. And you can send me, um, pictures of you.”

  She flicks me in the gut.

  I laugh, “I'm kidding, I'm kidding.”

  She backhands my arm, but I can’t stop my body from shaking. The fire glowing in her eyes right now has been missing.

  “That's not funny,” she growls.

  By the time I quit laughing, the muscles in my stomach are sore. After a few moments of laying back against the seat, catching my breath and staring out the glass ceiling at the sky, I turn toward Regan. “Serious.” I twirl a piece of her soft hair around my finger. “If you feel like things are falling apart, call me or text me. You won't be alone. You don’t know how much I miss your voice too.” I swallow and fix my eyes on the tiny points of light in the dark sky.

  Regan places her hand over mine and murmurs, “I don't want to go through that again.”

  “Me either.”

  Her hand moves up my arm. I can feel her staring at me. My stomach threatens to take a nosedive. I can’t pretend to ignore this any longer.

  1

  REGAN

  Lane stares out the moon roof at the night sky, humming with the music. I can’t believe he did all this for me. A surprise birthday dinner at Firefly, star-gazing at the cliffs, seventeen cupcakes with candles…it has been over the top amazing. Just like him.

  My gaze traces his silhouette, and butterflies tickle my stomach just looking at him. Lane’s features are more defined, more manly, I guess. But he still has all the boyish sweetness and charm I love.

  The glow from his lit-up phone screen highlights the curve of his lips. He swivels his head against the seat to look my way. The peaceful smile he was wearing widens when he meets my gaze. “Are you checking me out?” he asks.

  “Maybe,” I say softly, continuing to take him in. Why not check him out? He does it to He’s always done it to me… even before we were more than best friends.

  He moves closer and kisses the tip of my nose. “Your nose is cold.” He tugs the blanket we are sharing up to my chin.

  “It’s December. We’re sitting in a car with the engine shut off in the pitch dark.” I squeeze his warm hand in mine. “And I love it.”

  He chuckles. “I think you’ve finally fallen for me, Regan Leanne Stone,” he hums in that voice that draws me in and melts me like liquid gold.

  He’s mending me when no one else could. How could I not be crazy about him? I lessen the space between our lips and answer truthfully, “Of course I have. Now shut up and kiss me.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” When he speaks like this, it tickles my insides from my head to my toes. It kills any other thought.

  I pull him tighter, glad I’m not alone anymore. So glad I have him.

  This spine-tingling, sigh-worthy, wow kiss makes me feel weightless.

  I.

  Love.

  Kissing.

  This.

  Boy.

  The electricity flowing through my veins is totally real.

  This is not a dream.

  Lane mumbles against my mouth, “Regan.”

  He presses against my shoulders, putting space between us. “Your phone.”

  What phone? I crawl across the console.

  He laughs and angles himself away, so I have no choice but to stop.

  I want his lips back. “Wrong number,” I mumble, tickling him, wanting to be closer.

  He actually giggles. “Answer it. It’s not a wrong number.”

  I groan and settle into my seat. Phone, phone, oh yeah. What did I do with my birthday present? Lane hands me the new phone from the cup holder.

  The screen flashes Lincoln’s name. My mouth drops open, and I look up at Lane’s giant smile.

  “You better answer before he hangs up.” He taps the green button on the screen.

  “Lincoln?” I can’t keep my eyes off Lane. He did this for me. I haven’t heard from my brother since summer.

  “Sis, happy birthday.” As soon as I hear my brother’s voice, tears prick at my eyes.

  “Oh, my gosh! You’re on the phone!” My gorgeous college boyfriend winks at me. “Lane gave me a phone for my birthday. But I guess you already know that since you’re calling me on it.”

  “Yeah. I have to give it to him,” Linc says with a chuckle, “it’s a nice gift. Wish I’d thought of it. Talking to me is better anyway.” Same old Lincoln always one-upping Lane.
Or trying to, at least.

  Rushing wind blows in the background. I wonder if he’s back on base. Wherever that is. “Where are you?”

  “Right now?” he asks. “I’m in a hotel room in Pensacola, Florida. You’d love it here.”

  My chest swells at the thought of being there. “Are you serious?” Florida, the beach, Eckerd College…I’ve always wanted a future on the coast.

  Lane gives me a confused look. When I quietly tell him where Linc’s at, his eyebrows knit together. That’s when I remember Florida, the coast…it’s not my future anymore.

  My chest deflates a little as I lean back in my seat and stare out the windshield. I’m talking to my brother right now. That stuff doesn’t matter.

  “Yep. Most Navy bases are along the coast. I requested it but never thought I’d be lucky enough to get it. It’s my new home.” He might be trying to control it, but his upbeat tone oozes excitement. “It’s seventy degrees right now.”

  A chill shudders through me, and I pull the blanket over my shoulders. “More like thirty something here. Is that the wind blowing? It’s loud.”

  “That’s the ocean. I’ve got the door to the balcony open,” he says. The sound grows louder. “I stepped outside. Can you hear it better?” he asks.

  “Yeah,” I sigh out. “I love it.” Even if it is a reminder of what I’ll never have…marine science. “Hearing the ocean is a pretty good birthday present.”